sabina alfi: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Official: Winning lottery ticket sold in Maryland

In the hopes of striking it rich, people across the country are scooping up Mega Millions tickets. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

By msnbc.com staff and news services

Updated at 1:56 a.m. ET: The Associated Press is reporting that Maryland lottery officials have announced early Saturday their state sold what could become the world's largest lottery payout of all-time, but it?was unclear if that ticket holder would get sole possession of the $640 million jackpot.

Carole Everett, director of communications for the Maryland Lottery, told the AP the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at a Baltimore County store. She said it's too early to know any other information about the lucky ticket-holder or whether others were sold elsewhere in the nation.

The winning numbers for the Mega Millions prize were 46, 23, 38, 4, 2; mega ball was?23, lottery officials said late Friday.

National lottery officials were expecting to list early Saturday on their website how many winning tickets were sold and from what states, but Maryland sent out its news release and called media organizations hours before the scheduled announcement. The headline of its news release said the winning sale was "one of several nationwide," but Everett told The Associated Press she couldn't immediately confirm any others.

"We're thrilled," Everett told the AP. "We're due and excited."

The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.

In most participating states, tickets were on sale Friday until 10:45 p.m. EST, lottery officials said. The drawing was held in Atlanta at 11 p.m. EST.

Hopeful future millionaires formed long lines at stores.

Odds of winning the entire jackpot were 175 million to one, said Margaret DeFrancisco, president and chief executive of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Green and clean car promotions begin to pay dividends | Ocean ...

New electric cars on display at Jiading Auto City, Shanghai. (Photo / Provided to China Daily)

Despite lingering consumer doubts about the technology and practicality of electric vehicles, the Chinese government and automakers are pushing ahead with the development of green cars.

Buyers of hybrid cars, which run on a combination of batteries and conventional engines, are entitled to a direct central government subsidy of 5,000 yuan ($790) per vehicle, while a rebate of up to 60,000 yuan on the purchase price is offered to buyers of battery-driven cars.

Other than government incentives, auto manufacturers are luring buyers of their alternative cars with free maintenance and a range of personalized services.

Their combined effort to promote greener cars on Chinese roads is beginning to pay off. A survey by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that 8,159 hybrid and electric cars were sold nationwide in 2011. All together, there are more than 10,000 green cars on China?s roads.

The energy conversion rate of electric vehicles in general is 46 percent higher than in internal combustion engine cars, and they have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 68 percent, said Raymond Tsang, partner at Bain and Company.

The majority of early converts to green cars are college-educated young professionals in major cities. For instance, Zhao Yu, a 30-year-old office worker at Shanghai International Automobile City, in Jiading, a district of the Shanghai municipality, bought a hybrid car domestically produced by BYD ?to show support for my district?s reputation as the country?s showroom for energy-efficient cars?.

Jiading, home to Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (Group), one of China?s largest car manufacturers, considers itself a suitable testing ground for popularizing the use of clean cars.

All the promotions were making Zhao feel embarrassed every time she drove her gas-guzzling, pollution-belching, sinister-looking lump of a sedan to work every day. To repent, she spent 160,000 yuan in April last year to buy BYD?s new hybrid model, the F3DM, to drive to work and show her eco-friendly credentials.

To her surprise, buying the car has brought benefits that make her feel like a pampered child. For a start, she received close to a 40 percent, or 60,000 yuan, rebate from the central and local governments on the purchase price of her hybrid car. What?s more, she was told she could enjoy free battery recharge at stations sprouting in the city, compliments of the Jiading district government.

?I am still getting the hang of owning and driving a hybrid car,? she said. But the many incentives have removed any earlier doubts she had about the economic sense of buying one. ?I feel like I am one of the chosen few,? she said. That feeling, she added, ?makes me feel immensely proud of my decision?.

Zhao?s F3DM can go as far as 150 kilometers in hybrid mode, a range long enough to make the daily round trip from her home to the office and back. ?I never need to worry about running out of juice in the middle of nowhere,? she said.

In electric power mode, the batteries can sustain up to 90 minutes? driving, or 80 kilometers, before the gas engine takes over. ?I only need to recharge the batteries once every day, after I get to work,? Zhao said.

The good thing, Zhou added, is that her car is smooth and quiet. What?s more, it saves her quite a bit on fuel costs, compared to her other car, which she drives only on weekends.

?But the shortage of recharging stations outside Jiading has made it impractical to take my hybrid anywhere other than the office,? she said, sighing. Otherwise, she said, ?I would have sold my old car in a jiffy.?

China?s strategy to develop new energy cars has gained sufficient ground on many fronts. When coal imports began to exceed exports in 2009, the government saw the urgent need to reduce the country?s dependence on fossil fuels and launched a campaign to widen the use of alternative energy sources.

The country also faces the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in every sector of the economy. An area that has raised great concern is emissions caused by the explosive growth of the car population in the many sprawling urban districts. As a result, great emphasis has been placed on the development of green cars that can be widely accepted by consumers.

On the policy front, the development of the electric vehicle industry has been set as a priority of the Ministry of Science and Technology since 2001. The resulting ?863 Electric-Drive Fuel Cell Vehicle Project?, a State-level, high-tech development plan, received an initial investment of 800 million yuan, said Wang Tianwei, policy director of the policy coordination department of Jiading Auto City.

On the regulatory front, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission passed at least 20 new regulations in the past decade to regulate and promote wider use of hybrid and electric cars.

These combined efforts centered on a multiple of tax incentives to manufacturers as well as price subsidies to customers. The original target was to make the country a world leader in electric vehicles by putting 500,000 units on the road by 2011. But held back by technology constraints and policy coordination, the deadline has been extended to 2015.

Electric car pioneers, including SAIC, Chery and BYD Motors have indicated their commitment to the development of electric vehicle technologies. SAIC, for instance, is planning to introduce Roewe E50, an all-battery-powered vehicle with the latest technology, by late 2012.

The car, which produces zero emissions, has a range of 120 kilometers on a full charge, compared to about 80 km for the existing models.

According to Hu Maoyuan, SAIC chairman, the E50 is ?a result of the company?s efforts?, which he described as an example of ?indigenous innovation?. The company holds the patent and rights to all the key technologies it developed for this project.

To be sure, there are snags to overcome before hybrids and battery cars become a common sight on Chinese roads.

Battery performance remains the challenge to the practicality of electric vehicles. Wang said Chinese companies still lag far behind their competitors in the West and Japan in battery technology.

A study conducted by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs said China holds just 1 percent of the total patent registrations for lithium ion batteries, while Japan owns 52 percent and the US owns 22 percent.

Tsang said he believed China has many advantages for developing electric vehicles, including availability and integration of resources, and strong government support.

Source:China Daily

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Review: The Smithsonian Celebrates Video Games | IT News Post

On Saturday 31st March 2012 13:47, In Gaming

Games are not a new presence in museums but their arrival at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C, home of the country?s very first collection of American art, is an unmistakable achievement for games; an awkward art-world outsider that is finally being recognized, given rooms of its own in America?s museum with ?The [...]

?We could not have had this exhibition at any other time than now,? says ?chief gaming evangelist? Chris Melissinos, ?because we finally have the vocabulary to understand and appreciate [video games]?I believe it?s society?s responsibility to protect and nurture this new form, and whether or not they can be art, I leave to you.?

The exhibition is spread across three big rooms on the museum?s third floor, the first of which greets visitors with a sizzle reel showing short clips from Sonic Adventure, Mario 64, Geometry Wars, Earthworm Jim, Pac-Man, Rez, Shenmue, Final Fantasy VII, Marble Madness, Shadow of the Colossus, Okami, and more. The room also holds a selection of concept art, with early drawings from StarCraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Metal Gear Solid, which establish how much detail and intent is put into games, even when technology forces developers to make sacrifices.

The next room is an art-installation arcade where attendees can play one of five games projected on walls the size of mini-billboards. You can try Super Mario Bros., Pac-Man, Myst, The Secret of Monkey Island and Flower

The final room is a kind of history-walk, starting with Atari?s VCS (later the 2600) and ending with the current console trio of PS3, 360, and Wii. There is a mint-condition console and four representative games taken from Action, Tactics, Target, and Adventure categories accompanying each display.

The games are shown as a single still images captured by designer Patrick O?Rourke. At the side of each display is a video monitor where short pieces explaining the historic importance of each game can be played with a button press. The selection of games was determined by an advisory board of writers, academics, game developers, and executives who created a master list of significant games for each platform and the final selection of four per console was determined by a public poll with more than 3.7 million votes cast from 175 different countries.

So we?ve done it, finally. Halo is in a museum now. That?s where it is and it was us who helped put it there. Only trouble is, the curated assembly of games all come from corporations of varying size. The collection is not a celebration of video game art but of commercialized products.

On the way into the exhibit, one has to pass through a collection of work from Nam Jun Paik, including Megatron Matrix, a massive bank of smaller screens used to create the impression of a larger image passing over them, and Zen for TV, an old television screen that subverts one?s want for constant change with a single white line bisecting it. The transition from these works to Geometry Wars and Sonic the Hedgehog is nearly incomprehensible. And yet Paik?s work does not come from a separate world of high-brow art. He is sometimes associated with the Fluxus movement of artists whose work is influenced by the artistic traditions of games and rules.

In many ways the history of art is inextricable from games. Game pieces were among the first pieces of art created in human history, from the carved pieces in the Royal Game of Ur to the hollowed boards of Mancala. Before humans wrote novels and painted bowls of fruit, the impulse to create artifice was first expressed through play.

Through the centuries, play and art intermingled freely. The idea of games as taking place in the magic circle, an area where normal rules of social conduct were set aside for expression and experimentation, helped inform and free other forms of art. Roman reliefs celebrated men proving their worth in sport, in Scandinavia and Germany villagers collaborated on the decoration of Maypoles and danced around it in a social invocation of the midsummer reprieve from winter. French aristocrats indulged the liberation of masquerade balls and courtship rituals by playing self-consciously dramatic roles.

In the early 20th Century the Dadaists used playful forms of social interaction and absurdist performances, and later Guy Debord and the Situationists forwarded a theory of society as an interactive construct wherein people subconsciously adhered to the rules of psychogeography.

In the 1960s and 70s Fluxus artists?including Paik?made art whose meaning required interaction to appreciate, from Yoko Ono?s ?Yes? to Robert Rauschenberg?s tennis variation ?Open Score.? A year after Rauschenberg had reduced tennis to a glowing orb being hit across a dark room by discarnate tennis rackets lined with glowing lights, Ralph Baer created the first prototype of ping pong, sending a glowing orb back and forth across a screen.

In the years since, artists have never stopped using rules and play as the basis for art. Jason Rohrer?s Passage is the most famous recent example of a game designed purely for expression but there are volumes of other video games that call themselves art and take inspiration from the traditions of the past. There is Ian Bogost?s recent collection of video game poems, A Slow Year, and Mary Flanagan?s entire catalog of work, from the Unreal Mod Domestic which plays out torturous memory fragments as a woman escapes a burning house to [xyz], in which players use a game controller to select words to complete a poem. There is also Jaron Lanier and Bernie Dekoven?s early Atari collaborations on Alien Garden and Moondust, whose concepts and structures are closely replicated in Flower. There is Michael Mateas?s and Andrew Stern?s collaboration on Facade, the conversational AI game in which players watch a couple?s relationship disintegrate over the course of a dinner while being able to type in anything they want to try and intervene.

These games shouldn?t automatically be taken as superior to Mario and Halo, but neither should Mario and Halo be taken as the exclusive proof of how and why video games are art.

At The Art of Video Games, it is the catalog of multinational corporations?Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Sega, Atari, Electronic Arts, 2K Games?the canon. This arrangement narrows the scope of video game art to an eBay-style list of boxed products. The only non-corporate selection in the exhibition is Minecraft, and it?s hard to imagine it would have been included had the game not generated revenues similar to those of a game from a major-publisher.

As with any other form, there is overlap between the purely commercial and the purely personal works in video games and any institution that purports to celebrate the art of the form, ought to include works that represent the full spectrum, and not just the part of the spectrum where multinationals were able to make money selling plastic boxes and mass-produced discs to credulous kids.

The Art of Video Games narrows the history of games into a false canon of toy products left on the shore in the wake of yesteryear?s crashing waves of marketing. Super Mario Bros. and Pac-Man and Myst and Pitfall! and Geometry Wars are amazing creations as ar emost of the other games included in The Art of Video Games. But the exhibition fails to capture what is beautiful in those games, and how much they resonate with the spirit of all the other works displayed in the museum.

The Art of Video Games has ignored the games that called themselves art without apology, and didn?t, as Melissinos put it, leave it for the audience to decide.

Michael Thomsen is a writer in New York. His work has appeared in Slate, ABC World News, The Believer, The Daily Beast, Kill Screen, Gamasutra, The New Inquiry, Edge, and Billboard.

Source: http://feeds.ign.com/~r/ignfeeds/games/~3/2qfdemiM78U/1221949p1.html

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ADHD is over-diagnosed

Friday, March 30, 2012

What experts and the public have already long suspected is now supported by representative data collected by researchers at Ruhr-Universit?t Bochum (RUB) and University of Basel: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is over-diagnosed. The study showed that child and adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists tend to give a diagnosis based on heuristics, unclear rules of thumb, rather than adhering to recognized diagnostic criteria. Boys in particular are substantially more often misdiagnosed compared to girls. These are the most important results of a study conducted by Prof. Dr. Silvia Schneider and Prof. Dr. J?rgen Margraf (both from RUB) and Dr. Katrin Bruchm?ller (University of Basel) as reported in the American periodical "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology".

Leon has ADHD, Lea doesn't

The researchers surveyed altogether 1,000 child and adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists across Germany. 473 participated in the study. They received one of four available case vignettes, and were asked to give a diagnoses and a recommendation for therapy. In three out of the four case vignettes, the described symptoms and circumstances did not fulfil ADHD criteria. Only one of the cases fulfilled ADHD criteria based strictly on the valid diagnostic criteria. In addition, the gender of the child was included as a variable resulting in eight different case vignettes. As the result, when comparing two identical cases with a different gender, the difference was clear: Leon has ADHD, Lea doesn't.

Male and conspicuous: the "prototype" makes the difference

Many child and adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists seem to proceed heuristically and base their decisions on prototypical symptoms. The prototype is male and shows symptoms such as motoric restlessness, lack of concentration and impulsiveness. In connection with the gender of the patient, these symptoms lead to different diagnoses. A boy with such symptoms, even he does not fulfil the complete set of diagnostic criteria, will receive a diagnosis for ADHD, whereas a girl will not. Also the therapist's gender plays a role in the diagnostic: male therapists give substantially more frequently a diagnosis for ADHD than their female counterparts.

Diagnostic inflation, more medication, higher daily doses

In the past decades the diagnoses ADHD have become almost inflationary. Between 1989 and 2001, the number of diagnoses in German clinical practise increased by 381 percent. The costs for ADHD medication, such as for the performance-enhancer Methylphenidate, have grown 9 times between 1993 and 2003. The German health insurance company, Techniker, reports an increase of 30 percent in Methylphenidate prescriptions for its clients between the ages of 6 and 18. Similarly, the daily dosage has increased by 10 percent on average.

Remarkable lack of research

Considering these statistics, there is a remarkable lack of research in the diagnostic of ADHD. "In spite of the strong public interest, only very few empirical studies have addressed this issue", Prof. Schneider and Dr. Bruchm?ller point out. While in the 70s and 80s a "certain upswing" of studies on the frequency and reasons for misdiagnoses could be observed, current research hardly examines the phenomena. The current study shows that in order to avoid a misdiagnosis of ADHD and premature treatment, it is crucial for therapists not to rely on their intuition, instead to strictly adhere to defined, established diagnostic criteria. This is best possible with the help of standardized diagnostic instruments, such as diagnostic interviews.

###

Ruhr-University Bochum: http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Thanks to Ruhr-University Bochum for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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How Direct Response Marketing Works

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By : Jonathan McCulloch ?? zero times read

Submitted 2012-03-30 01:50:05

In the past, marketing was mostly about getting people into the stores to buy your products. This approach forced a company trying to sell its products to deal with one or more intermediaries, resulting in higher prices for their customers and/or a reduced profit margin. Some retailers bypassed this problem by using early versions of direct response marketing, such as flyers, mailers and printed catalogs. These allowed customers to purchase the product directly. In recent decades, many businesses have turned to more advanced forms of this same approach. If you would like to do this with your business, there are a number of things to consider.

The Techniques

Regardless of the media outlet used, direct response marketing usually has for primary parts. This first is the strongly promoted offer. Here, the seller lets the potential customer know about the product and what it does. Next, he lists all of the great aspects and features of the product, pointing out how it is unique or superior to similar products. Near the end, there is a call to action, which is usually something like "don't miss out, call now" or "supplies are limited, so call now." Finally, a means for ordering the product is provided, such as a toll free phone number or a website with a shopping cart.

The Media Used

While some direct marketing is still done via older print methods, this approach is most often seen on television. One method is the short 30-second commercial that quickly uses all of the techniques listed above. However, because of the rushed way the products in these commercials are presented (with the clich? of the repetitiously repeated toll free number at the end) they sometimes annoy customers more than interesting them in the product.

Many businesses will instead turn to infomercials. Infomercials are 30-minute presentations given in timeslots the company purchases on local (and sometimes on cable) channels to sell their product or products. This gives the company the chance to approach the sales pitch at a slightly more leisurely pace. Often, these infomercials are designed to seem like a regular informational television program in which the presenters just happen to be reviewing the seller's product.

Another outlet for this type of marketing is the Internet. In this case, dynamic ads, ads made to look like polls and other approaches can provide links to websites where the sales pitch can be delivered and the product sold. In the future, as social media networking sites continue to grow in size, number and influence, this may become one of the primary means for marketing directly to customers.

Personalities

For the television presentations, either the commercials or the infomercials, a key feature is that they must have a dynamic and interesting presenter. This person must draw the audience into the information he is presenting about the product. There are several ways the presenter might approach the sales pitch.

He might try to seem very excited about it to transfer that excitement to the viewer. For certain items, such as foods or food cooking products, he might try to impart with his words and facial expressions how wonderful the food is. Many of these presenters will host more than one "show," and become well know personalities based on this.

Author Resource:- Jon McCulloch is Ireland's preeminent direct response marketing consultant. Hit http://www.jonmcculloch.com now and help yourself to his free direct mail resources. There is absolutely nothing to buy on his website - nothing but free small business marketing help and advice to help you expand your business.
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<title>InfoBlog.com | How Direct Response Marketing Works</title><h3>How Direct Response Marketing Works</h3>

By: Jonathan McCulloch

The Techniques

The Media Used

Personalities

Author Resource:->??Jon McCulloch is Ireland's preeminent direct response marketing consultant. Hit http://www.jonmcculloch.com now and help yourself to his free direct mail resources. There is absolutely nothing to buy on his website - nothing but free small business marketing help and advice to help you expand your business.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

NALIP Conference Creates A Collaborative Arena: The Business ...

Keynote Speakers Robert Rodriguez; Universal Studios Ron Meyer President/COO; Honoree Rita Moreno

Los Angeles, CA ? The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) today announced that its thirteenth annual NALIP Conference will be held April 13 ? 15, 2012 in Universal City, California with a new special edition of the NALIP ActorSummit on April 12. Online registration is available now at http://www.conference2012.nalip.org/.

NALIP 2012: Diverse Voices, Universal Content is presented by Time Warner and the National Latino Media Council. Co-chairs Frank B. Gonzalez of The Disney/ABC Television Group and Juan Carlos Zaldivar of Phonograph Films will host the annual, premier Latino nonprofit gathering of top level Latino executives, content makers and game changers in the Latino media field. ?This dynamic and star-studded weekend includes keynotes, plenaries, ?Conversations With,? workshops and networking events.

The conference begins Friday, with keynote speaker, film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician, Robert Rodriguez. ?Rodriguez?s films, which range from sleeper hit El Mariachi to From Dusk Till Dawn and Sin City as well as the Spy Kids and franchise, exemplify how he embodies expressing a diverse voice while creating content that is universal. Saturday?s keynote speaker will be Universal Studios? President and COO Ron Meyer. Meyer, the longest-running Studio Chief, is dedicated to creating a corporate culture of stability and consistency that drives a successful business.

In addition to engaging Hollywood?s elite, NALIP also brings together the industry?s current trendsetters. ?This will be exemplified in two very special sneak preview screenings during the conference. ?Friday night, the Sundance smash hit Filly Brown will be shown at Universal City?s AMC Theatres. ?Following the screening, directors Youssef Delara and Michael T. Olmos, producer Amir Delara, and cast members Gina Rodriguez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Chrissie Fit, Emilo Rivera and Danny Mora will participate in a Q&A session. The second private screening and Q&A will be held Saturday afternoon for the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie of the week Firelight. ?Firelight is directed by Darnell Martin and written by NALIP mentor and executive producer/ writer of the highly acclaimed La Misma Luna, Ligiah Villalobos.

Furthering the tradition of celebrating Latino visionaries, NALIP will host a red carpet gala honoring one of only eight living performers who has won entertainment?s grand slam of the industry?s most prestigious awards: The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and The Grammy ? the inspirational and magnanimous, Rita Moreno. ?Ms. Moreno will receive NALIP?s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. ?Additional media luminaries being honored at the annual gala include former Nosotros President and current Velasco & Associates President, Jerry Velasco who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Advocacy and the Estela ?Rising Star? Award winners?Patricia Martinez de Velasco, Erin McGinnis and Ari Palos, who will be awarded a $7,500 grant endowed by the McDonald?s Corporation.

The Conference will also include NALIP?s annual Latino Media Market, inviting top industry executives to help attendees bring their authentic, unique and diverse voices to the international market place. ?Executives from Time Warner, HBO, You Tube, Google, Sony, ABC/Disney, NBC, CBS, PBS, Fox, SAG, WGA, CNN, HGTV, Travel Channel, TruTV, Mun2 and many others are scheduled to attend this unique event. ?For a list of speakers, panels and keynotes please visit http://conference2012.nalip.org/conference/keynotes-speakers/.

The NALIP national conference is organized as three days of workshops and plenaries on film, television and documentaries, plus groundbreaking case studies. These include ?The Million Dollar Screenwriting Workshop?, which turns writing into an effortless, step-by-step process, ?Packaging your Documentary for Success?, discusses how to best present your project pitch, proposal and trailer. ?The Reality of Reality Television? presents an in depth look inside the world of reality television, why it works, the opportunities and how to break in. ?Inside the Mind of the Investor: How Money Decisions are Made? explores how to prepare the best pitch and approach to maximize chances of success. Also scheduled are ?Women in Media, Women Who Rock!? and ?Make Money in TV Commercials.?

NALIP?s closing plenary, Race and the Media, will engage in an insightful and important conversation about the systemic, economic and cultural factors affecting race and representation in the Media. ??Jennifer Lawson, Executive Vice President of Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Alex Nogales, Director of National Hispanic Media Coalition, Joe Torres, author of News for all the People, and Dr. Darnell Hunt, a sociologist at UCLA will discuss the effects of exclusion, and what can be done to improve representation of Latinos in front of and behind the cameras. ?NALIP?s mission is to address the vital need for equitable Latino representation to the most underrepresented and largest ethnic minority in the country across all entertainment mediums.

Shortlink:

Source: http://www.latinheat.com/2012/03/29/nalip-conference-creates-a-collaborative-arena-the-business-and-art-of-filmmaking/

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User:Mousehouse12 - LGS Wiki

From LGS Wiki

Telephone Engineers who Understand Small Businesses

We are living in the knowledge age, when communication is my way through business. For your small business achievement it requires to not just have a very products that customers want, but also can grow it to showcase by making contact with customers and suppliers efficiently and effectively.

There are many methods to communicate in today?s world, and much is claimed concerning the power of your internet and email to get marketing message when in front of customers and negotiate with suppliers. Nevertheless, there isn't anything like personal contact, along with the telephone is still the most powerful methods of communicating person-to-person.

So, while a small business thinks about the problem about its web marketing campaign, it must am certain hard about how well its telephone system meets its needs. It may well pay to call in experienced telephone engineers to think about the present system and recommend changes that can improve how good it truely does work for a growing company.

Telephone engineers do far more than fix faulty lines. They could recommend systems which could transform the proportions of any company?s telephone communications. You will discover systems around that happen to be designed specifically for tiny and growing businesses.

The Meridian Norstar phone system, by way of example, is probably the brands of Nortel Corporation, generally known as Meridian Phones, with a reputation for developing high quality business phone systems that happen to be all to easy to grow combined with the needs on the company.

The Norstar Compact Plus is often a flexible, cost-effective business telephone system that's perfect for the little business user, providing them a platform to leverage new technology simply because it emerges and so that it is very easy to adapt because needs on the business change.

Another popular choice on the range will be the Norstar Modular Plus system, that provides even more ability to grow in keeping with a prosperous business. Aimed at companies using more than 16 telephone lines, it might support about 80 analogue lines or 128 extensions for digital systems.

The Modular Plus Analogue option allows each and every call to come back into one central number before being forwarded to internal extension numbers. The Modular Plus Digital option can grant every extension an instantaneous line for external calls.

With technology constantly in place just like the Meridian Norstar phone system, it isn't difficult for just a growing business to focus on its goods and services, as opposed to getting mixed up using the details of the infrastructure that supports its business. With telephone engineers like Freestyle Communications, who can install and keep the Meridian Norstar Telephone Engineer Oxford system, the communications infrastructure is often left in safe hands, while the company focusses on driving strategy and growth.

Whilst the Meridian Norstar telephone system is actually a popular option for many small companies, it isn't the sole system that telephone engineers like Freestyle Communications can advise on. Once you get the communications experts, they will be in the position to think about the specific requirements of your respective business and recommend the correct phone systems and hardware to meet up with your preferences, within the actual and the future. It pays to call on the experts.

Source: http://wiki.lgs.sa.gov.au/index.php/User%3AMousehouse12

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Video: Fast Money Rate My Stock: IDT

Howard Jonas, Chairman & CEO, IDT Corporation, discusses the outlook for his telecommunications company.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

An All-natural Diabetes Cure For Variety 2 Diabetes ? How To Get A ...

An All-natural All forms of diabetes Cure For Variety 2 All forms of diabetes

Appropriate dietary regimen, working day-to-working day exercise and maintaining a top-quality pounds can guide cease diabetic issues.

Prior to a appropriate diabetic issues may possibly Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms be 1 of pre-diabetic issues. This analysis is generally a reminder that you require to have your dietary regimen and pounds down to stay clear of the diabetic issues prospects. Irrespective of whether you?re identified as owning diabetic issues or pre-diabetic issues you can quickly elude the require for blood insulin. Healthcare reports have indicated that there are a number of natural options that is capable of displaying to manage and hold on to right glucose levels. These solutions can include each of people widespread, trouble-free to obtain, vitamin and organic and natural health and fitness vitamin supplements.

Natural cures for diabetic issues bring following herbal products and vitamin supplements:

Unhealthy Melon ? Unhealthy melon is most productive on both equally kind 1and type 2 diabetic issues. Specific things of bitter melon help in reducing and maintaining right blood glucose levels from the entire body. Diabetics cannot the right way take up and make use of blood insulin and bitter melon helps lowers the existence of blood insulin amount of resistance. Furthermore, scientists have found which bitter melon can really improve may possibly be cellular material from the pancreas which produce blood insulin, thereby aiding your process to normally guide alone.

Red onion and Garlic cloves ? These delicious foodstuff really guide quit cardiovascular system sickness. Persons who are from Metformin Side Effects diabetic issues normally have a increased risk of cardiovascular system sickness as being a effect of deficit of blood insulin permitting you extra fat to float using the overall circulatory system more time with increased levels than regular. Red onion and beans are loaded with minerals which helps quit body fat from oxidizing and leading to hurt to artery wall surfaces, be a catalyst for back plate build up and cardiovascular system sickness.

Sugar-cinnamon ? Most person?s think of nutmeg acquiring a spices for sugars or as being a seasonal aroma for as well as. On the other hand, this piquancy may possibly perform great deal a great deal more than help make your property and sugars style and smell top-quality. Sugar-cinnamon has indicated to guide reduce blood glucose levels in person?s utilizing Variety 2 diabetic issues.

A working day-to-working day multi-supplement is often a concern for every person on the other hand for all those experiencing diabetic issues you?ve got benefits specifically from nutritional vitamins M, Elizabeth, B6, B12, Chromium, Magnesium mineral, Zinc oxide, ALA and feunugreek.

Previous to you commence acquiring these vitamin supplements it is crucial to do some on the net analysis as to acceptable volumes. Extra crucial, in case you are currently on pharmaceutical drug medicinal drugs be sure to discuss with all your widespread physician before every one of these vitamin supplements to obtain out should there be any probability of a unfavorable reaction.

A diagnosis of diabetic issues doesn?t need as a loss of life heading. Obtaining a great dieting, working day-to-working day exercise as well as acquiring any amongst this list of previously listed supplements can guide you dwell a lifestyle with diabetic issues that is not reliant on blood insulin.

An all-natural diabetic issues treatment for kind 2 diabetic issues is often a top-quality selection in comparison to another types of treatment, specifically pharmaceutical drug medicinal drugs. It?s significantly a great deal more helpful for you and your overall entire body. It?s crucial you take care of your diabetic issues to guide you stay clear of additional complications in the later stage. By applying a properly-well-balanced healthy and balanced nourishing dietary regimen, exercise in addition to a normal diabetic issues treatment, you might be properly immediately attaining greatest health and fitness.

Your principal aim for would be to Side Effects of Metformin lower your blood glucose and get your pancreas to have started out generating blood insulin when yet again that may make it possible for your entire body to function the right way.

Tags: Metformin, Vitamin D Deficiency

Source: http://xiaoyuzhou.info/an-all-natural-diabetes-cure-for-variety-2-diabetes/

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Video: Boehner on economy, 2012 race

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46877722#46877722

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Video: Video: Would you be angry if you were Sanchez?

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/46874340#46874340

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Video: Palin commends Santorum for cursing at NYT reporter

'Invisibility cloak' can serve as heat shield

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: By now, you've heard of "invisibility cloaks" that can hide objects from prying eyes and ears ? but how about a cloaking device that can keep your computer circuits cool?

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46873791#46873791

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Arizona legislators again say yes to free tickets

PHOENIX (AP) ? It's been a year since the Fiesta Bowl scandal embarrassed legislators, but at least some Arizona lawmakers still like their perks.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have again offered free tickets to legislators for the baseball team's first game of the season, and a team executive said Tuesday that at least 40 of the 90 senators and representatives have accepted so far.

"A good time," said Rep. Doris Goodale, R-Kingman, said when asked what she she'll get out of going to the game April 6.

Lawmakers won't break any rules by accepting the passes. And Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, said the tickets she's accepting for herself and her husband provide an opportunity for lawmakers to socialize and get to know each other away from the pressure-cooker of the Capitol.

The Fiesta Bowl scandal has led to criminal charges alleging bowl personnel were illegally reimbursed for campaign contributions. The politicians involved apparently weren't aware of the scheme.

In a separate issue that directly touched legislators, the Fiesta Bowl's internal investigation found that numerous lawmakers accepted free game tickets and trips to college football games. Many had not reported them on financial disclosure forms.

A prosecutor who investigated whether legislators violated gift and disclosure laws concluded no prosecution was warranted because state laws are so complex and contradictory.

The Diamondbacks' giveaway doesn't violate the state's general ban on giving gifts to lawmakers because the offer is made to all 90 members of the Legislature.

Team President Derrick Hall said the free tickets provided legislators are part of a tradition that he started about six years ago to make opening day a community celebration.

"It's just focused on opening day, making that more of a special event," Hall said. He also said the team makes sure it complies with all applicable laws.

The team's website says tickets for opening day range from $5 to $160, but Hall said the tickets that legislators will get will likely be unsold ones for lower-price seats in Chase Field's upper deck.

Hall said the team doesn't consider the event as a lobbying move, and team lobbyist Tom Dorn said the only legislative issue that he has worked on for the team so far this session has been a still-pending bill to allow guns in public buildings.

The legislation has been amended to exclude publicly-owned venues such as the sports stadium used by the baseball team.

"We simply want to protect our fans," Dorn said.

Burges said she considered the Fiesta Bowl scandal when deciding whether accepting the Diamondbacks' offer would be an image problem for the Legislature.

She said she concluded that the Fiesta Bowl's offerings made to other lawmakers were in a different league. "Those tickets to the football games were very expensive," she said.

Goodale said there are no strings attached to accepting the seats that she described as "up in the rafters."

"I never, ever take anything with any expectation there's a return. That's clear," Goodale said.

Hall said the team wasn't providing lawmakers with anything at the game, but Dorn said his lobbying firm, which has other clients besides the Diamondbacks, separately had invited lawmakers to a pregame gathering at a nearby restaurant.

Rep. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix, said she hadn't decided yet whether to accept opening day tickets, but she said she'd pay for them if she does, as she said she'd done previously.

McCune Davis said the real issue is that legislation proposed in the wake of the Fiesta Bowl scandal to tighten the state's gift and disclosure requirements remains bottled up in the Legislature, not getting hearings.

"I think the public expects us to take action," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-03-27-Legislators-Free%20Tickets/id-e61a4de15f5d4a67bf25aeee965aff76

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More than tree hugging: Green companies earn more 'green' new study shows

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Edward Conlon
conlon.6@nd.edu
574-631-9295
University of Notre Dame

Using LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings increases revenue generated by bank branches even when they offer the same products and services, according to a new study coauthored by University of Notre Dame management professors Edward Conlon and Ante Glavas.
In their study of 562 PNC branches (93 LEED, 469 non-LEED), "The Relationship between Corporate Sustainability and Firm Financial Performance," Conlon and Glavas found that PNC employees who work in LEED-certified branches are more productive and engaged in their work.
Although they're not yet certain if it's because LEED buildings are more attractive to visit or because their employees are more satisfied, and consequently providing better service, Conlon and Glavas find that sustainability equals a big difference to the bottom line at LEED bank branches-- $461,300 per employee after controlling for other variables that influence performance (e.g., consumer net worth, employee demographics, market demographics, size and age of branch, marketing spend).
The findings support a growing body of research that shows social responsibility and sustainability don't have to be sacrificed for the sake of profitability. In fact, companies increasingly are finding just the opposite: They can achieve revenue or job growth while maintaining a high environmental and social impact.
"It's a significant finding, and it surprised me," says Conlon, associate dean and Sorin Society Professor of Management. "We compared the amount of money deposited at LEED and non-LEED branches, and we found more money has been deposited in the LEED branches. We divided the amount by the branches' total number of employees to come up with a per-employee dollar amount."
Most other studies on the business impact of sustainability have been conducted by companies whose products have ties to environmental concerns or that have become more sustainable as a reaction to stakeholder pressure and regulation, the researchers point out. Banks have no such ties, so whether considering a checking account, savings account or loan, the bank's sustainable strategy - or lack thereof - doesn't directly affect the product. Furthermore, PNC's sustainability strategy was not reactionary, but rather a voluntary and visionary move to enhance its reputation, physical banking and working environment, as well as build pride among employees.
Also, says Conlon, the study uses firm accounting data to determine financial effects, while most others examine changes in market valuation. He says PNC was the ideal subject for their research for several reasons.
"PNC has built more than 100 LEED-certified buildings, which is more than any other US company," Conlon says. "So, PNC is perfect for a LEED study because they have a lot of them and the branches all do the same thingsame products, same systemsthe only thing that's different is the LEED strategy."
The researchers say the strategy is working, whether it's because the buildings look better or the people inside are more fulfilled.
"We think it's a mix of the two," Glavas says. "People are certainly proud to be working in LEED buildings."
"Suffice it to say, I think PNC is getting a payback on its LEED investment," Conlon says.

###

[ | E-mail | Share ]
?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

More than tree hugging: Green companies earn more 'green' new study shows Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Edward Conlon
conlon.6@nd.edu
574-631-9295
University of Notre Dame

Using LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings increases revenue generated by bank branches even when they offer the same products and services, according to a new study coauthored by University of Notre Dame management professors Edward Conlon and Ante Glavas.
In their study of 562 PNC branches (93 LEED, 469 non-LEED), "The Relationship between Corporate Sustainability and Firm Financial Performance," Conlon and Glavas found that PNC employees who work in LEED-certified branches are more productive and engaged in their work.
Although they're not yet certain if it's because LEED buildings are more attractive to visit or because their employees are more satisfied, and consequently providing better service, Conlon and Glavas find that sustainability equals a big difference to the bottom line at LEED bank branches-- $461,300 per employee after controlling for other variables that influence performance (e.g., consumer net worth, employee demographics, market demographics, size and age of branch, marketing spend).
The findings support a growing body of research that shows social responsibility and sustainability don't have to be sacrificed for the sake of profitability. In fact, companies increasingly are finding just the opposite: They can achieve revenue or job growth while maintaining a high environmental and social impact.
"It's a significant finding, and it surprised me," says Conlon, associate dean and Sorin Society Professor of Management. "We compared the amount of money deposited at LEED and non-LEED branches, and we found more money has been deposited in the LEED branches. We divided the amount by the branches' total number of employees to come up with a per-employee dollar amount."
Most other studies on the business impact of sustainability have been conducted by companies whose products have ties to environmental concerns or that have become more sustainable as a reaction to stakeholder pressure and regulation, the researchers point out. Banks have no such ties, so whether considering a checking account, savings account or loan, the bank's sustainable strategy - or lack thereof - doesn't directly affect the product. Furthermore, PNC's sustainability strategy was not reactionary, but rather a voluntary and visionary move to enhance its reputation, physical banking and working environment, as well as build pride among employees.
Also, says Conlon, the study uses firm accounting data to determine financial effects, while most others examine changes in market valuation. He says PNC was the ideal subject for their research for several reasons.
"PNC has built more than 100 LEED-certified buildings, which is more than any other US company," Conlon says. "So, PNC is perfect for a LEED study because they have a lot of them and the branches all do the same thingsame products, same systemsthe only thing that's different is the LEED strategy."
The researchers say the strategy is working, whether it's because the buildings look better or the people inside are more fulfilled.
"We think it's a mix of the two," Glavas says. "People are certainly proud to be working in LEED buildings."
"Suffice it to say, I think PNC is getting a payback on its LEED investment," Conlon says.

###

[ | E-mail | Share ]
?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/uond-mtt032712.php
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Monday, March 26, 2012

The Guardian launch their own Google TV application in beta

Android Central

Despite not being available yet in the UK, British newspaper The Guardian have gone ahead and developed a Google TV application currently in beta. Naturally it will only be available in the US on Google TV, but as it is accessed through the browser at gtv.guardiannews.com, desktop users can also take a peek.

Seems that The Guardian chose Google TV first because Chrome allows them to build an app quickly, and release new versions frequently. It seems the aim is to use the platform to develop a stable build, then port it to other Smart TV platforms, with an emphasis then on the UK platforms.

The UI looks pretty good, and there is a good range of content on offer in both written and video format. The Guardian are keen for people to test this out, and are listening to feedback to aid them in further development.

Source: The Guardian

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/XjZL_UBzdw8/story01.htm

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Video: Nude photos changed woman?s outlook

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46843505#46843505

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Space Junk Forced Astronauts Into ISS Escape Capsules

According to a story from CNN, "A piece of a debris from a Russian Cosmos satellite passed close enough to the International Space Station on Saturday that its crew was ordered into escape capsules as a precaution, NASA said. The six crew members were told to take shelter late Friday in their Soyuz capsules after it was determined there was a small possibility the debris could hit the station, the U.S. space agency said in a statement." This isn't the first time it's happened, either. The escape capsules (actually, they're Soyuz spacecraft) must be nice to have on hand, but I'd hate to have to test their efficacy.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/xOByEkV9gBc/space-junk-forced-astronauts-into-iss-escape-capsules

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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Telappliant's? VoIPtalk service wins 'Best Consumer VoIP award' at ...

?Telappliant VoIP solution proves to be robust, reliable and excellent value for money?

LONDON ? Thursday 22nd March 2012 -?Telappliant, the leading Internet telephony provider for consumers and UK based small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), has announced it has won the ?Best Consumer VoIP? award for its?VoIPtalk?Service at the Internet Telephony Services Providers? Association (ITSPA) 4th annual awards. The ceremony took place on Wednesday 21st March in the House of Commons Members Dining Room, and was hosted by Dr Julian Huppert MP and Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Internet Communications and Technology Forum. Telappliant was also recognised as a strong finalist in the ?Best Business ITSP (Micro)? category.

According to the latest Ofcom communications market report for 2011, one in five (18 per cent) of households are now making regular VoIP calls. The ITSPA awards for Best Consumer VoIP assessed a number of solutions available on the market and reviewed factors such as value for money, technical features of the product and customer care.

Tan Aksoy, Chief Executive Officer at Telappliant, commented, ?We are thrilled to have won the award for best consumer VoIP. The combined recognition from the ITSPA judges and an independent technical testing panel demonstrates that our VoIP network is best-of-class. There is no doubt that more individuals and small businesses are turning to Voice over IP telephony. It?s estimated that, within the next ten years, 90 per cent of telephone calls worldwide will be made using VoIP, but there is no reason why customers should not begin taking advantage of this technology today.?

For further information about Telappliant?s business VoIP telephony systems, visitwww.telappliant.com, or visit?www.voiptalk.org?for details of our consumer VoIP services.

Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm: Race in America: We Are No More "Post-Racial" Than We Are "Post-Partisan"

When someone lives as a minority, they experience the world differently than those of us who live in the majority.

We may occupy the same physical space, but we don't occupy the same psychic space. I think it's important to look at the issue through the eyes of experience.

Let's start with a review of some of today's stories:

Today on Fox News, Geraldo Rivera blamed the hoodie for the killing of Trayvon Martin.

Today in Louisiana, a woman at a gun range yelled to Rick Santorum to pretend that he was shooting president Obama.

Today in North Carolina, we learned that a cartoonist from a conservative think tank resigned after drawing a chained Obama wearing high heels and standing over a bucket from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Today, a mother in Detroit instructed her 10-year-old honor student, "don't ever run down the street. Keep your hands out of your pockets, son. It's not your fault. It's just the way it is."

Every day in America, African Americans are reminded of their race in ways large and small. Every day. Today in America we are no more "post-racial" than we are "post-partisan." We have a long way to go.

But today in America, something else happened. In a garden surrounded by roses, a leader said this: "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."

Ten words. Those words opened the ears of some and soothed the hearts of many.

And unfortunately, those words rekindled the rage of others. The usual suspects all came out to squeal.

Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin accused Obama of "political opportunism" and trying to "pour gas on the fire" for empathizing with Trayvon's parents.

Conservative Matt Drudge's Web page stoked fears of "retaliation," and cited Louis Farrakhan. And there were more.

It's got to be frustrating to be so predictable.

Cross-posted at "The War Room" blog. Follow "The War Room" on Twitter and Facebook.

Follow Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JenGranholm

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-m-granholm/race-in-america-we-are-no_b_1376691.html

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Friday, March 23, 2012

Video: Obama embraces Irish heritage

5 more bodies found in Costa Concordia wreckage

Divers found a total of five bodies on Thursday in the wreckage of the Costa Concordia near the island of Giglio off Italy's Tuscan coast. Two more bodies were found following the discovery of three earlier in the day, NBC News has learned.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46814032#46814032

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Derek Fisher signs with Oklahoma City Thunder

Newly signed Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher answers a question during a news conference in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 21, 2012. Fisher signed with the Thunder on Wednesday and general manager Sam Presti says he's available to play immediately. The Los Angeles Clippers were in town Wednesday night to face Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Newly signed Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher answers a question during an NBA basketball news conference in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti answers questions during an NBA basketball news conference introducing newly signed point guard Derek Fisher in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) ? After winning five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher chose the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder as the team where he wants to go for No. 6.

Fisher signed with the Thunder for the remainder of the season on Wednesday, not quite a week after he was traded to Houston by the Lakers and subsequently bought out of his contract instead of playing with the Rockets.

He picked jersey No. 37, the same as his age, and hoped to play right away and perhaps be able to maintain his streak of consecutive games played.

More importantly, he wants to continue his run of postseason success.

"Right now, they sit on top of the Western Conference and I'm just hopeful that the things that I do, the things that I've always brought to every team I've ever played on, can be the right mix to help these guys continue to do whatever it is that they're already doing," Fisher said before the game.

The Thunder lost their backup point guard, Eric Maynor, to a season-ending knee injury in January but hadn't made any moves to address the position. All-Star Russell Westbrook had been taking on extra minutes as the starter, with rookie Reggie Jackson taking over as his backup.

Then Fisher became available when the Lakers decided to acquire Ramon Sessions from Cleveland and promote Steve Blake to the starter. Fisher had won five titles alongside Kobe Bryant in two separate stints with the Lakers, with stops in Utah and Golden State in between.

He had played 13 of his 16 NBA seasons with Los Angeles before getting dealt away at last week's trade deadline.

"I think that I was surprised by it, but since then I've very much realized that it's not so much about what went wrong and why it happened but more so where I'm going next and the next chapter of my life," Fisher said, declining to speak in depth about his divorce with the team until later.

Fisher figures to take over Jackson's backup minutes, although coach Scott Brooks called the 2011 first-round draft pick one of the Thunder's "important pieces going forward." Fisher has averaged 8.7 points and 3.1 assists during his career and has played in 209 playoff games in 13 trips to the postseason.

"He has winner all over his DNA," Brooks said. "You can never have enough winners in your locker room, and we have a locker room full of them. He just gives us one more winner."

Fisher played with the Lakers when they knocked Oklahoma City out in the first round of the 2010 playoffs on their way to a second straight championship. He said he's always respected the team because he's observed that the players play with energy every single game.

That approach was reinforced when he met with general manager Sam Presti while he was going through the process of clearing waivers and becoming a free agent.

"It's very clear that there's one common goal, and that's to maximize the abilities of every player on the team and try to bring, at some point, a championship to Oklahoma City," Fisher said.

Oklahoma City made room for Fisher by waiving forward Ryan Reid, a second-round pick in 2010 who had played in only five games over the past season and a half.

"He's got great poise, he's got a great basketball IQ, great recognition on both ends of the floor," Presti said of Fisher. "He understands the league, he's a well-regarded corner shooter and someone that we feel like can settle you down and make plays for you throughout the body of the game."

Presti praised Jackson and reserve Royal Ivey for filling Maynor's minutes over the past two months well enough to give Oklahoma City the league's third-best record, behind Miami and Chicago, heading into Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"We have a lot of confidence in the group that we have in place, obviously, to be where we are right now," Presti said. "We know we can improve. ... We feel like Derek's someone that can help enhance where we are currently."

Two-time scoring champion Kevin Durant endorsed Fisher's arrival even before he had officially signed and envisioned him as a mentor to the young team who's still able to hit clutch shots and defend. He was hesitant to look forward and assess Fisher's impact on the Thunder's championship hopes.

"You can ask as many questions as you want, but it's a little different if you go through it yourself," Durant said. "I'm just going to just try to pick his brain as much as I can about the game of basketball but at the same time, of course if I want to get to that goal, I'll have to experience it myself."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-03-21-BKN-Thunder-Fisher/id-5d04989c09b2476dbfeb40e234455557

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Look like a celebrity: H&M launching eco-friendly fashion line favored by the stars

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[ [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-celebrity-h-m-launching-eco-friendly-fashion-111225396.html

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